Scattered, Each One To His Own (John 16:23-33)

"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father."

"His disciples said to Him, 'See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! Now WE ARE SURE that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.' "

"Jesus answered them, 'Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each one to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.' "

Thousands followed Him, seeking His signs of healings of sickness, deliverance from demonic oppression, and provision. They were astonished by His teaching. Where were they when He was being led away to die on the cross? The truth is they did not yet believe all things about Jesus Christ, as their scattering revealed, but would return because of the life He ministered to them, and would believe in deed.

"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
(John 8:31,32)

Marked Out For This Condemnation

"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were MARKED OUT for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God in to lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgement of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immortality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." (Jude v.3-7)

"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. AND THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION, that the light has entered into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who practices evil (rather than righteousness) hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

(John 3:18-21)

"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:5-7)

"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, 'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: '''I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen those things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your WORKS perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed with white garments, and I will NOT BLOT OUT his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels."(Revelation 3:1-5)

"For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his PART from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Revelation 22:18,19)

Don't add, and the plagues will not be added. Don't take away, and your part will not be taken. Don't turn the grace of our God into the wicked ignorance of unbelief and you will not be marked out.

It Was Expedient For Them

"Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, 'What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation." And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, 'You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.' Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death." (John 11:45-53)

It was expedient for them that one man should die, and for the nation of Israel, and for the children of God who were scattered abroad; but not for Caiaphas, the chief priests, or the Pharisees to make happen. This is a good example of "a house divided against itself cannot stand". God revealed to the high priest what would happen for that nation and the children scattered. The high priest, and the other leaders, took that revelation and used it to retain their place. They made it happen because they were not able, by choice, "to listen to My (His) word".

Although in the position of high priest that year, he and the leaders were yet listening to the temptations that Satan tried and failed to tempt Jesus with (Matthew 4:1-11). They used the truth that God had revealed to serve themselves. God help us!

So, let's use the keys of the Kingdom that Jesus revealed to His disciples to remove the mountain so we may see clearly; asking God to prune us so that we produce much fruit of righteousness in Christ Jesus, through faith in Him. Lord, let no one eat fruit from me ever again, but from the true vine, Jesus Christ.

A Disciple In Doing So

"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.' They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free?' Jesus answered them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

"I know that you are Abraham's descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father." They answered and said to Him, 'Abraham is our father.' Jesus said to them, 'If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. You do the deeds of your father.' Then they said to Him, 'We were not born of fornication; we have one Father-God.' Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.' " (John 8:31-43)

As we look at v.31, John writes that "Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him". Yet in v.43, Jesus said "you are not able to listen to My word'. Clearly, in His kingdom, there is a beginning and a completion. There is little fruit and there is much fruit; the fruit of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, believing in Him.

As you turn toward God, in the name of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, remember to speak to the mountain (Mark 11:23) that would keep you from listening to His word. Ask the Vinedresser to prune you so that you may produce more, even much fruit. "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." (John 15:1-8) You will be a disciple in doing so.